Elevating and supporting device for trunk-trays



(No Model.)

G. S. WILLITS.

I ELEVATING AND SUPPORTING 'DEVIGE FOR TRUNK TRAYS.

Patented D60, 18, 1883.

N PETERS. nwwuum m m Washington. 8

WITNESSES:-

'UNETED *rArEs IPA-TENT @rrrna.

, GEORGE s. WILLITs, or PHILADELPHIA, rENNsYLvANiA.

ELEVATING AND SUPPORTING-DEVICE FOR TRUNK-TRAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentvNo. 290,380, dated December 18, 1883. Application filed September 19, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. WVILLI'rs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful TrunkTray Elevating and Supporting Device, (which, to my knowledge, has

never been patented, used, or placed on sale in any country,) of which the following is a specification.

In trunks as at present constructed, in order to give free access to that portion of the trunk below the tray, the latter has to be entirely removed from the trunk and deposited elsewhere, and when it is large or heavily loaded this removal is often difficult and always the cause of vmuch exertion of a necessity awkwardly applied. 4 V

The objects of my invention are, first, the reducing the amount of exertion required to lift the tray by applying the same more advantageously; second, guiding the tray while rising, so as to keep the upward motion always in the same vertical plane; third,- supporting the tray firmly when raised to a point that permits free access to the body of the trunk; fourth, lowering the tray quickly and easily into place whenever desired. To secure these objects I make use of means which are best explained by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 2 gives two views of the contrivance whose principal purpose is to prevent endwise motion of the tray when raised. This contrivance consists of telescopic slides. Fig. 3. is an end elevation of a trunk, the end being removed, with the lid downand with the traysupporting device closed down within a narrow compartment at the end of the trunk-there being one at each end-and with the telescopic slides shut together within their case. Fig. 1 gives two additional views of the contrivance for locking the supporting frame-work or device when the tray is raised. Fig. 4 is the same View as Fig. 3, but with the lid'open, the tray raised, the supporting device extended and locked, and the telescopic slides drawn out.

Two very narrow compartments are formed at each end of the trunk by partitions A, of

wood or other suitable material. ThbOttOm corners of these partitions are cut away, as at B, to render more easy the recovery of an small articles that might accidentally fall into the shoulders S withinthe case. have sufficient the compartments. The tray P rests upon the upper edges of these partitions. Within each compartment is a framework, 1) O, pivoted at the point C to the partition or to the end of the trunk, or to both. The arms H and I at the upper end of the fran'le-work are secured'to the fasteners M and N, respectively, bymeans of pins or rivets, about which they have motion. These fasteners are secured to the tray either permanently, as shown, or by fitting into sockets. This frame-work D 0 consists of thin strips of wood or metal, (the latter is preferred,) riveted together at the ends and near the middle of each strip, as shown, but not too tight to permit free motion. This species of mechanism is by some mechanical engineers styled lazy -tongs, or conipound toggle-joints. Upon the arm H notches G are cut, as shown, into which 'thetoe of the pawl K engages when the tray is rising. To insure the engaging of the pawl into the notches a spring, L, is added, but more asia precaution than a necessity, as the design is to have all the moving parts free enough to fall or move by their own weight. At the point F an arm, E F, takes hold of the framework by means of a pin or rivet, the other end of the arm E being pivoted to the partition A or to the end of the trunk, or to both. This arm controls the up and'down movements of the frame-work, as will be seen farther on.

The fasteners M and N are shaped as seen in Fig. 1, and are made of about equal size, of

sheet metal, so that in constructing the frame work, castings having the same shape and size may be used.

In Fig. 2, R is a thin strip of metal secured to the bottom of the tray, near the middle of the back edge; it slides down alongside of the strip Q; the sides of the latter, passing around behind R, partially inclose it. These two strips, when shut down, are-almost wholly within the case J. This case J is secured against the back of the trunk upon the inside, and about midway when only one is used. When drawn out as in Fig. 4, R cannot come 3 entirely clear of Q, because the toe or projection U at'its lower end strikes against the shoulder V; also, Q cannot entirely. leave the case J, because the projections WVwill-meet These strips play vertically to permit the full lift of the tray, but fit snugly enoughR within Q, and the latter within the case-to prevent any appreciable motion of the tray endwise. here two strips do not allow suflieient lift to the tray, three or more may be employed; but two are deemed sufficient for almost every case.

Upon the inside of the ends of the trunklid, near their front extremities, lugs, ears, or hooks O, of sheetmctal, are secured. Anoteh, X, is cut into each of these cars, for the purpose of receiving the pin T, the latter being secured to the back of the tray, and projecting beyond the end. These ears or hooks 0 also prevent endwise motion of the tray; when the lid is closing, they pass down between the ends of the tray and the ends of the trunk.

At or near the lower rear corners of the tray are brace strips or blocks Y, which extend a slight distance beyond the end of the tray. These blocks are intended to prevent thelower part of the back of tray from entering within the lid when the latter is open and the former raised, and also to act in conjunction with hooks O and pins T to brace or support the tray when the last named has extraordinary weight to sustain. Channels or grooves are cut in the inside of ends of trunk and lid at the proper places to receive the blocks Y and pins T.

The lid is supported in its open position, as in Fig. 4, by a rigid strap or brace secured in such a way as not to interfere with any of the moving parts when the tray is rising or fallmg.

The handles of the tray may be situated much nearer the front of the trunk, in conneetion with my device, than ordinarily, as vertical motion of the front of the tray causes corresponding motion of the back part, due to the nature of the in ovcments of the frame-work or lazy-tongs D C.

The operation is as follows: The tray is raised by means of the ordinary handles until the pawl K falls into the first of the notches G, the frame-work D O, with its arms H, of course, opening as the tray moves upward. The grasp of the hands may now be loosened, as the tray will not fall, its weight tending to produce that motion in the arm H, which is completely checked by the pawl K. The hands may now be placed under the tray and the latter lifted to its full height, where, as before, it will be firmly sustained. The arm E F, moving about the point E as a center, causes the end F to move in the are of a circle, which in the first stage of the lift throws the tray slightly forward, thus accommodating the person raising the tray. In the second stage of the lift, the point F, moving a little to the rear, (to the right in the drawings,) as well as upward, throws the tray back, giving a greater opening, and therefore freer access to the body of the trunk, than would be the case should the tray rise in a perfectly vertical line. This arm E F prevents any motion of the tray crosswise of the trunk when the tray is raised.

Vith reference to the telescopic slides, the strip It, being secured to the tray, follows it up when rising until the projection U comes into contact with the shoulder V. This contact causes Q to rise, and both follow the tray until the full lift is reached. In case the two strips Q and B should both start at once, due to the too snug fit between the two, the projections XV meeting the shoulders S in the case would prevent Q, from rising too far. The offiee of these telescopic slides is to prevent endwise motion of the tray, especially while it is rising or while standing at a point short of its full lift. They also guide and steady the tray while rising, particularly when it is very large or heavily loaded. There is sufficient play crosswise in the case J, and amply enough spring in the strip R to permit the crosswise motion given the tray in its ascent by the arm E F. The cars or hooks 0 also serve the purpose of preventing endwise motion of the tray, as it stands between them when at its full lift. As an additional support for the tray, especially at the rear corners, the pins T are employed and made to drop into the notches X in the cars 0. These last-mentioned two eontrivaneesthe telescopic slides Q and R and the hooks or cars Omay be used separately or together, as the construction of the trunk or lid or other circumstances may determine or render advisable.

\Vhen it is desired to lower the tray, the hands are placed under its front corners in such a manner as to include the handles of the pawls Kin their grasp. As soon as the weight is taken off the arms H, the pressure under the handles of the pawls draws them clear of the notches G and the tray may be lowered. \Vhen the bottom of the tray reaches the top of the body of the trunk, the hands may be shifted one at a time to the tray-handles, or the tray may be allowed to drop the small distance remaining.

What I claim is 1. The combination. of the frame-work or lazy-tongs D G with the notched arm H, the pawl K, and the fastener M, as applied to the purpose set forth, all constructed, arranged, and operated substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the trunk-tray elevating and supporting device, of the arm E F, with the frame-work D O, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of the telescopic slides S and It wit-h their case J, affixed to the trunk and trunk-tray, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the .lugs, ears, or hooks 0, pins T, and strips or blocks Y, affixed to the trunk and trunk-tray, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

GEORGE S. VILLITS.

"Witnesses:

OLIVER B. GASTON, J. Lennon KOOKEY. 

